Thyroidectomy retractor



Aug. 14, 1951 MAHORNER 1 2,564,118

THYROIDECTOMY RETRACTOR Filed July 15, 1949 INVENTOR FIG. '3. HOWARD MAHORNER ATTORNEY 7 Patented Aug. 14, 1951 THYR-OIDECTOMY RETRACTOR Howard Mahorner, New Orleans, La., asslgnor to A. S. Aloe Company, St. Louis, Mo.-, a corporation of Missouri Application July 15, 1949, Serial No. 104,864

6 Claims.

This invention relates in general. to surgical instruments and more particularly to certain new and useful improvements in thyroidectomy retractors.

- It is the primary object of the presentinven tion to provide a thyroidectomy retractorwhich may be adjusted so that a firm and secure grip will be effected upon the skin flapsand subcutaneous' tissue in. the surgical field without dan ger of slippage.

It is a further object of the present invention to. provide a thyroidectomy retractor which is so designed as to present a wide field oi operation: and to avoid interference in any way.

It is an additional object of the present invention to! provide a thyroidectomy retractor having curved portions adapted to rest athwart the patients neck with the side portions removed from the field of operation by disposition laterally adjacent the patients neck.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed: out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing-- 7 Figure 1- is a perspective view of a. thyroidectomy retractor constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention, as shown in relative operative position;

Eigure 2 is a transverse. sectional view taken along. line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figur e 3' is a transverse sectional view takenalong line 3-3 of. Figure 2.

Referring now in more. detail and by reference, characters to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates. a preferred, embodiment of. my invention; A. designates a thyroidectomy retractor comprising a pair of spaced, parallel side bars 2,. I formed. preferably of straight. stainless steel rod: andbeing provided on oneof their ends with inwardly extending, cone-like fittings 2, 2 respecti'vely. Threaded at. its ends within the fittings- 2'; 2!, is a. transversely extending sustaining rod. 3' centrally provided with av forwardly and out.- wardly extending, symmetrical curved port-ion 4 which is inclined at an angle. of. approximately 44to the plane of the bars I,, I. Disposed centrally upon, and suitably secured to, the sus-' tai'ning rod 3' is-a blade 5 having a plurality of downwardly and outwardly curved prongs 6 in claw-like formation.

Slidably disposed oneach. of: the bars I, I, are sleeve elements I, I, respectively, each being integrally" provided with transverse; cylindrical portions 8, 8, respectively, the" outer ends of which are. drilled; and tapped. for receiving knurledithumbscrews 9, 9', respectively, adapted toengage. the bars I, I, and thereby lock: the sleeves 1, 1., in any selected position of: adjustment. The. cylindrical portions 8, 8 extend laterally inwardly with respect to the sleeves I, I, and are suitably secured to the ends of a sustaining rod is extending transversely therebetween. The sustaining rod In is centrally bent in the provision of a symmetrically curved portion [I extending forwardly and upwardly insubstantially parallel relation to the curved portion 4 of the sustaining rod 3. Welded or otherwise suitably secured centrally upon the curved portion I I of the sustaining rod H} is a blade member I2 having a plurality of prongs I3 downwardly and outwardly extending in opposite direction to that of the prongs 6 of the blade 5-. It willthus be seen that the thyroidectomy retractor A forms a unique polygonal or substantially fou'r sided device which, in effect, forms a closed frame around the operative field and extends laterally outwardly therefrom so that the mechanical adjustment elements and other parts which might interfere with the surgeons manipulations are fully removed from the operative zone.

In usage, after an incision has been made in the performance of an operation for the removal of the thyroid gland or a portion thereof, the retractor A is positioned upon the patients' neck with the sustaining. rods 3, I0, disposed horizontally thereacross (see Figure l) and the prongs 6, I3 of the blades 5, t2, respectively, are placed beneath the skin flaps and the subcutaneous tissue. The sustaining rods 3, ID, are then separated until the desired width of the held of operation is reached. Whereupon, the knurled thumbscre'ws 9,, 9, are tightened to provide a two-point contactfor maintaining the sustaining rod I0 firmly in the selected position, being thereby prevented from slipping during the operation. This adjustability feature permits the retractor A to be equally'useful in presenting a clear space for operating whether a small or a relatively large field of operation is desired. It will thus be noted that in actual use the bars I, I, and the portions ofthe sustaining rods 3, lil, adjacent thereto, will be disposed in' lateral relation to the patientsneck andthus be totally removed from the imme diate field of operation.

It should beunderstood that changes and modificationsin the form, construction, arrangement,

and combination of the several parts of thethyroidectomy retractor may be made and substituted for'those herein shown and described without departing from the nature. and principle of my invention;

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1". A thyroidectomy retractor comprising a pair of spaced bars, a" first rod secured rigidly at its ends to'the bars and extendng transversely there between forpresentation athwart' apati'e'nts' neck, said. first rod' having a central curved portion extending. forwardly and outwardly at an angle: to the. planeof the bars for disposing said bars in downward relation t the field of operation toprevent interference? with the operative procedure, a blade disposed centrally upon said curvedportion of said first rod, said blade having a plurality of prongs extending downwardly toward the plane of the bars and projecting in one direction, a second rod extending transversely between the bars in parallel relation to the first rod and having a centrally curved portion, a blade element disposed centrally upon the curved portion of said second rod and having downwardly extending prongs projecting in opposite direction to the prongs of the blade on said first rod, slide members mounted on said bars and connected to said second rod whereby the distance between the prongs on each rod may be optionally regulated, and means connected to said slide members for securing the second rod in any selected position upon the bars.

2. A thyroidectomy retractor comprising a pair of spaced bars, a first rod secured rigidly at its ends to the bars and extending transversely therebetween for presentation athwart a patients neck, said first rod having a central curved portion extending forwardly and outwardly at an angle to the plane of the bars for disposing said bars in downward relation to the field of operation to prevent interference with the operative procedure, a blade disposed centrally upon said curved portion of the first rod, said blade having a plurality of prongs extending downwardly toward the plane of the bars and projecting in one direction, a second rod extending transversely between the bars in parallel relation to the first rod and having a centrally curved portion in parallel relation to the curved portion of the first rod, a blade element disposed centrally upon the curved portion of said second rod and having downwardly extending prongs projecting in opposite direction to the prongs of the blade on said first rod, slide members mounted on said bars and connected to said second rod whereby the distance between the prongs on each rod may be optionally regulated, and means connected to said slide members for securing the second rod in any selected position upon the bars.

3. A thyroidectomy retractor comprising a pair of spaced bars, a first rod secured rigidly at its ends to the bars and extending transversely therebetween for presentation athwart a patients neck, said first rod having a central curved portion extending forwardly and outwardly at an angle to the plane of the bars for disposing said bars in downward relation to the field of operation to prevent interference with the operative procedure, a blade disposed centrally upon said curved portion of said first rod, said blade having a plurality of prongs extending downwardly toward the plane of the bars and projecting in one direction, sleeve elements disposed upon said bars for sliding movement therealong, adjusting screws engaged in said sleeves for securing same in se lected position upon said bars, said sleeve elements being provided with inwardly extending cylindrical portions, and a second rod disposed in parallel relation to the first rod having its ends received within the cylindrical portions of the sleeve elements, whereby the said second rod may be disposed in selected relation to the first rod.

4. A thyroidectomy retractor comprising a pair of spaced bars, a first rod secured rigidly at its ends to the bars and extending transversely therebetween for presentation athwart a patients neck, said first rod having its ends disposed in the same plane as said bars and being axially normal to said bars, said first rod further having a central curved portion extending forwardly and outwardly at an angle to the plane of the bars for disposing said bars in downward relat tion to the field of operation to prevent inter ference with the operative procedure, a blade disposed centrally upon said curved portion of said first rod, said blade having a plurality of prongs, sleeve elements disposed uponsaid bars for sliding movement therealong, adjusting screws engaged in said sleeves for Securing same in se lected position upon Said bars, said sleeve ele ments being provided with inwardly extending cylindrical portions, and a second rod disposed in parallel relation to the first rod having its ends received within the cylindrical portions of the sleeve elements, whereby the said second rod may be disposed in selected relation to the first rod.

5. A thyroidectomy retractor comprising a pair of spaced bars, a first rod secured at its ends to the bars and extending transversely therebetween for presentation athwart a patients neck, said first rod having a curved portion extendingupwardly with reference to the plane of the bars and at an angle thereto for disposing said bars downwardly from the field of operation and laterally spaced from the patients neck, a blade element disposed on the curved portion of said first rod and being provided with tissue-engageable members extending in one direction, a second rod extending transversely between the bars, a blade element disposed on said second rod and being provided with tissue-engageable members extending in a different direction than that of the tissue-engageable members on the blade on said first rod, and slide members mounted on the bars for movement therealong and connected to the ends of the second rod whereby the distance between the tissue-engageable members on each rod may be optionally regulated.

6. A thyroidectomy retractor comprising a pair of spaced bars; a first rod secured at its ends to the bars and extending transversely therebetween for presentation athwart a patients neck, said first rod having a curved portion extending upwardly with reference to the plane of the bars and at an angle thereto for disposing said bars downwardly from the field of operation and laterally spaced from the patients neck, a blade element disposed on the curved portion of said first rod and being provided with tissue-engageable members extending in one direction, a second rod extending transversely between the bars having a curved portion, said curved portion of said second rod extending forwardly and outwardly at an angle to the plane of the bars, a blade element disposed on said second rod and being provided with tissue-engageable members extending in a different direction than that of the tissue-engageable members on the blade on said first rod, and slide members mounted on the bars for movement therealong and connected to the ends of the second rod whereby the distance between the tissue-engageable members on each rod may be optionally regulated.

HOWARD MAHORNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Glaser Sept. 28, 1948 

